Division 5D.6 — GENERAL COMMERCIAL USES

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City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

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General commercial uses are defined as uses that involve business activity serving the general public,

including retail, professional and personal services, hospitality, and entertainment.

Animal services is defined as a use involving the provision of services related primarily to domestic

animal care and keeping.

A. General

Animal services: general is defined as animal services in which domestic dogs or cats are provided

non-medical care, such as, grooming, training, supervision, or boarding. This does not include

uses where the overnight boarding of dogs or cats exceeds 30 percent of the foor areal of a

facility, for such uses see Sec. 5D.6.1.B. (Animal Services: Kennel). This use does not include

medical care of animals, for such uses see Sec. 5D.6.1.C. (Animal Services: Veterinary Care).

B. Kennel

Animal services: kennel is defined as animal services in which four or more dogs or cats, at least four months of age, are sheltered for periods beyond 24 hours per day. This definition does not

include retail establishments dedicated to the commercial sale of animals, for such uses see Sec.

5D.6.12.H. (Retail: Pet Shop). This use does not include the breeding and raising of animals, for

such uses see Sec. 5D. 10.1.G. (Animal Keeping: Small Animals).

C. Veterinary Care

Animal services: veterinary care is defined as animal services in which animals or pets are given

medical or surgical treatment and care. This use does not include the non-medical treatment and

care of dogs and cats, for such uses see Sec. 5D.6.1.A. (Animal Services: General).

A commissary kitchen is defined as a kitchen facility used for cooking and preparing food to be primarily served and consumed off-site. This definition includes multi-tenant shared kitchen facilities, order fulfillment kitchens, and catering kitchen facilities. The following uses are allowed when

incidental to the kitchen facility: research and teaching facilities, commercial food processing, and order fulfillment pick-up lobbies.

Eating & drinking is defined as the sale of prepared, ready-to-consume meals or drinks for

consumption by the public.

Div. 5D.6. (General Commercial Uses) | 5-219 Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Div. 5D.6. (General Commercial Uses)

A. General

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

Eating & drinking: general is defined as an eating & drinking use that involves serving and sale of prepared food and drinks for on or off-site consumption. Eating & drinking: general uses includes table service at a restaurant, counter service for off-site consumption, and self-service cafeteria

dining. This use does not include the dispensing of alcoholic beverages for consumption on-site,

for such uses, see Sec. 5D.6.3.B. (Eating & Drinking: Alcohol Service). This use does not include the sale of alcoholic beverages for off-site consumption, without prepared food orders, for such uses

see Sec. 5D.6.12.B. (Retail: Alcohol).

B. Alcohol Service

Eating & drinking: alcohol service is defined as an eating & drinking use that involves the

serving and dispensing of alcoholic beverages primarily for consumption on-site. Eating &

drinking: alcohol service includes the provision of alcoholic beverages to customers in a dining

setting, while gathered at a bar or tasting room, or in conjunction with another use, such as an

entertainment venue, stadium, hotel, indoor recreation, brewery or distillery. This use does not include the sale of alcoholic beverages for off-site consumption, without prepared food orders,

for such uses see Sec. 5D.6.12.B. (Retail: Alcohol).

Entertainment venue, indoor is defined as any indoor assembly use designed or intended for

entertainment, includes live music venues, performing arts theaters, movie theaters, dance clubs,

comedy clubs, karaoke lounges, and banquet halls.

A. Local

Entertainment venue, indoor: local is defined as an entertainment venue, indoor use designed

for an assembly capacity of less than 3,000 persons. For entertainment venue, indoors designed

for an assembly capacity of 3,000 or greater, see Sec. 5D.6.4.B. (Entertainment Venue, Indoor:

Regional). This use does not include activities established in Sec. 5D.6.13. (Sexually Oriented

Business). For the inclusion of alcoholic beverages for on-site consumption, see Sec. 5D.6.3.B.

(Eating & Drinking: Alcohol Service).

B. Regional

Entertainment venue, indoor: regional is defined as any entertainment venue, indoor use designed

for an assembly capacity of 3,000 persons or greater. For entertainment venue, indoors designed

for an assembly capacity of less than 3,000 persons, see Sec. 5D.6.4.A. (Entertainment Venue,

Indoor: Local). This use does not include activities established in Sec. 5D.6.13. (Sexually Oriented

Business). For the inclusion of alcoholic beverages for on-site consumption, see Sec. 5D.6.3.B.

(Eating & Drinking: Alcohol Service).

Div. 5D.6. (General Commercial Uses) | 5-220 Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Div. 5D.6. (General Commercial Uses)

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City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

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Financial services are defined as professional services involving the investment, lending, or management of money and assets in a publicly accessible setting rather than a private office setting. This use does not include private workspace settings,for such uses see Sec. 5D.6.9. (Office).

A. General

Financial services: general is defined as fnancial servicesi uses that provide retail banking services.

Financial services: general include only those institutions engaged in the transfer and circulation of

money, such as banks and credit unions. This use does not include check-cashing businesses and

payday lenders, for such uses see Sec. 5D.6.5.B. (Financial Services: Alternative).

B. Alternative

Financial services: alternative is defined as fnancial servicesi uses involving for-profit lending facility offering small, unsecured, short-term loans, such as bail bonds, or a use that primarily consists of

check cashing services for a fee, or any business where articles of personal property may be left

as security in exchange for a loan of money. Financial services: alternative include pawnshops,

precious metal buyback centers, short-term credit lenders, and title loan centers. This use does

not include remittance services, for such uses see Sec. 5D.6.5.A. (Financial Services: General).

Instructional services are defined as any establishment primarily engaged in offering avocational

or recreational educational courses to adults or children for the purposes of play, amusement, or relaxation, including education offered for the intent of teaching the fundamentals, skills, or techniques of a hobby or activity. This use includes establishments offering programs in art, cooking,

drama, driving, language, music, sewing, tutoring, or other similar forms of self-improvement. This use

does not include vocational and other educational uses, for such uses see Sec. 5D.3.9. (School).

Lodging is defined as commercial overnight accommodations for transient occupancy, often for

periods of 30 consecutive days, or less. Lodging uses shall not serve as a primary residence. Lodging uses include, hotels, motels, and hostels. This use does not include uses defined in Sec. 5D.2.2.C.

(Home-Sharing).This use does not include residential housing accommodations, for such uses see Div.

5D.2. (Residential Uses).

Medical clinic is defined as an outpatient healthcare facility that provides direct medical, dental, or

therapeutic services to patients. This use does not include healthcare facilities providing acute, sub-

acute or inpatient healthcare; for such uses see Sec. 5D.3.8.A. (Hospital: Local) and Sec. 5D.3.8.B.

(Hospital: Regional).

Div. 5D.6. (General Commercial Uses) | 5-221 Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Div. 5D.6. (General Commercial Uses)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

Office is defined as any workspace accommodating administrative, creative and business services. Office uses may be operated independently or combined with other uses, provided each of the other uses is permitted and meets the applicable standards. An office use includes workspace

accommodating the following activities: administrative, clerical, legal, accounting, design, consulting,

graphics and sound editing, and dry lab research.

Personal services are defined as any commercial use providing an in-person service directly to

individuals seeking cosmetic services, counseling services, document services, or servicing of

consumer goods. Personal services include: cosmetic services such as hair cutting and styling, nail

salon, day spas, licensed massage therapy, tattooing and piercing; counseling services, such as non-medical counseling, legal counseling, financial counseling, and psychic counseling; document

services, such as printing, form and application assistance, notary services, photo developing, visa

and passport services; garment services, such as garment tailoring and alterations, laundromat, dry-

cleaning; and consumer goods repair services when occupying less than 3,000 square feet in area,

such as electronics repair, jewelry repair, shoe repair, appliance repair, furniture restoration, and

bicycle repair. This use does not include consumer goods repair services when occupying 3,000

square feet in area, or greater, for such uses see Sec. 5D.8.1. (Machine Shop). This use does not include

maintenance and repair of motor vehicles, for such uses see Sec. 5D.7.1. (Motor Vehicle Services).

Postmortem services are defined as any establishment engaged in the provision of services involving

the care, preparation, or arrangement of human or animal remains, and conducting memorial services.

Postmortem service establishments include crematoriums, funeral homes, mortuaries, and pet

crematoriums. This use does not include a cemetery, for such uses see Sec. 5D.3.1. (Cemetery).

Retail is defined as a commercial use involved in the sale or dispensing of consumer goods to the

general public, including any associated indoor or outdoor display and point of sales.

A. General

Retail: general is defined as any retail use primarily involved in the sale or rental of new or used

consumer goods to the general public. Retail: general includes but is not limited to, the sale or

rental of household goods, clothing, books, toys, art supplies, pet supplies, house plants, medicine,

consumer electronics, appliances, hardware, building supplies, mattresses, and furniture. This use

does not include the sale or rental of motor vehicles, for such uses see Sec. 5D.7.3. (Motor Vehicle

Sales & Rental).

Div. 5D.6. (General Commercial Uses) | 5-222 Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Div. 5D.6. (General Commercial Uses)

B. Alcohol

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

Retail: alcohol is defined as a retail use involving the sale or dispensing of alcoholic beverages for off-site consumption and are licensed or seeking a license to sell or otherwise dispense alcoholic beverages for off-site consumption, as defined by the California State Alcoholic Beverage Control

Act (ABC). This use does not include the on-site consumption of alcoholic beverages, for such

uses see Sec. 5D.6.3.B. (Eating & Drinking: Alcohol Service).

C. Farmers' Market, Certified

Retail: farmers' market, certified is defined as a retail use involved in the sale or dispensing of agricultural products by producers or certified producers directly to consumers or to individuals,

organizations, or entities that subsequently sell or distribute the products directly to end users and is certified by the Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner.

D. Firearms

Retail: firearms is defined as a retail use where firearms, ammunition, or related accessories are

sold.

E. Food & Beverage

Retail: food & beverage is defined as a retail use primarily involved in the retail sale of food and beverages for off-site consumption. Retail: food & beverage includes grocery stores, produce

markets, seafood and meat markets, bakeries, delis, and on-site seating areas for dining accessory

to the primary retail use. This use does not include alcoholic beverage sales; for such uses see Sec.

5D.6.12.B. (Retail: Alcohol).

F. Large Format

Retail: large format is defined as any retail use with a non-residential tenant size of 100,000 square

feet or greater. This use may include but is not limited to any of the following types of retail when

occupying a non-residential tenant size of 100,000 square feet or greater: superstore, department

store, wholesale club, furniture store, and home improvement store. This use does not include any

retail use with a non-residential tenant size of less than 100,000 square feet, for such uses see Sec.

5D.6.12.A. (Retail: General).

G. Merchant Market

Retail: merchant market is defined as a retail use that includes ten or more tenants or vendors

within a shared facility with common entrances and walkways, where goods, products, groceries, and prepared food are offered or displayed for sale or exchange, and may include on-site seating

areas for dining as incidental to the market use.

H. Pet Shop

Retail: pet shop is defined as a retail use possessing a pet shop permit issued by the Department of Animal Services where domestic animals such as dogs, cats, rabbits, rodents, birds, fish,

Div. 5D.6. (General Commercial Uses) | 5-223 Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Div. 5D.6. (General Commercial Uses)

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City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

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amphibians, and small reptiles are kept and offered for commercial sale, for hire, or adoption. This

use does not include uses where the overnight keeping of dogs or cats exceeds 30 percent of the floor area of a facility, for such uses see Sec. 5D.6.1.B. (Animal Services: Kennel). This use does not

include the breeding and raising of animals, for such uses see Sec. 5D.10.1.G. (Animal Keeping:

Small Animals).

I. Seasonal Market

Retail: seasonal market is defined as a retail use involving the seasonal outdoor retail sale of

ornamental holiday decor, primarily ornamental pumpkins and Christmas trees.

J. Smoke & Vape Shop

Retail: smoke & vape shop is defined as a retail use primarily involving the sale of tobacco

products, substances intended for smoking, or smoking accessories, including but not limited

to cigars, pipes, vaporizing devices, or other smoking paraphernalia. The use may include an

enclosed smokers’ lounge that is solely dedicated to smoking tobacco products. This use does not

include medicinal or recreational cannabis establishments, for such uses see the Department of

Cannabis Regulation.

A sexually oriented business is defined as any commercial use involving the retail sale, rental or

exhibition, of any goods or services that are characterized by an emphasis on the exposure or display

of specifed sexual activitiesi or specifed anatomical partsi . Each sexually oriented business use shall

constitute a separate sexually oriented business, even if operated in conjunction with another sexually

oriented business at the same establishment, for the intent of meeting applicable use standards. For the purposes of regulating the distance between each specific sexually oriented business, (such as

adult arcade, adult bookstore, adult theaters, striptease venue, or sexual encounter accommodations) each specific use shall constitute a separate sexually oriented business.

A. General

Sexually oriented business: general is defined as any sexually oriented business use, other than a

sexually oriented business: sexual encounter establishment. This use includes but is not limited to

adult arcades, adult bookstores, adult cabaret theaters, adult motion picture theaters, or striptease

venues.

B. Sexual Encounter

Sexually oriented business: sexual encounter is defined as any sexually oriented business use, other than lodging offering public accommodations, which, for any form of consideration,

provides a place where two or more persons may congregate, associate or consort in connection

with specifed sexual activitiesi or the exposure of specifed anatomical partsi . This use does not

include a use where a medical practitioner, psychologist, psychiatrist, or similar professional

licensed by the State of California engages in sexual therapy, for such uses see Sec. 5D.6.8.

(Medical Clinic).

Div. 5D.6. (General Commercial Uses) | 5-224 Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

[ FORM - FRONTAGE - STANDARDS ] [ USE - DENSITY ] Div. 5D.7. (Heavy Commercial Uses)